Stuy_O

I think Carragher underestimated the lunacy of Mike Ashley when he wrote that article. He would take 17th every year if he could, his ambitions compared to Rafa's are universes apart, and he has zero connection to the supporters. It's all on him, people can blame Charnley but its all on Ashley.

Gotta be said as well how completely clueless the local press have been. They were full of 'bring on the rafalution' after the season ended and yet as soon as the stories of Rafa's discontent come out the have been totally silent, re-hashing any old story and latching on to any transfer rumour. They are shitting themselves. Don't care if the market is difficult, its been an embarrassing transfer window thus far and we are assuring ourselves of another relegation battle.

If Ashley was serious about having a good season he would be pressing Charnley to get deals done. The deals aren't getting done. This shit has been going on from the day he forced Keegan out.

If Charnley is moving the goalpost it's because Ashley is telling him to...imo

He was positive right up until the last hours of the transfer window in January.

They plummeted new depths when their main transfer scoop for one day was when some fan saw Rafa getting his groceries.

This has been a pathetic transfer window.

Meaning we would have about 5 million left

60 days left mate. Keep faith, thinking (hoping?) the true targets aren't necessarily bandied around the media. The season kicks off in 5 weeks. Rafa will clearly want his business done by then.

The legacy of Mike Ashley. You are one of many he's brainwashed.

If we sign someone like Ashley Barnes in this window then you really have no right to complain after hideous posts like this.

Everton are a better attraction than us. We have to realistic about the type of player we can attract. They (and I would probably say most of the premiership teams) are now thanks to the Ashley and his muppets as they certainly weren't before he bought the club. They were well on there way to taking over us from 2005 to Ashley like. Even in that period the likes of Dunn and Smith (to which they would have been well chuffed about) chose us over them so don't agree there mind. I suspect they only choose us because of the wages we offered. Also it's Duff not Dunn. We were pitched as a club far far better then. We had high revenue compared to Everton and platitudes aside, came across as a big club. We got Rafa Benitez to manage us in the Championship so I dont think its entirely unrealistic to challenge f***ing Everton for Sandro Ramirez. Again... its all down to how we are sold as a club. This is the legacy of Ashley... to get everyone thinking tiny.

Doing my fucking head in this now tbh. Not being prepared is gonna cost us again and will probably cost us our manager.

Well you would chill if you ignored the fact that in nearly every one of those seasons we have been shocking, fighting at the wrong end of the table, and eventually going down. I can't remember a premier league season under Ashley when i'v thought we were ready come the first game. Obviously with Benitez as manager it helps a great deal and subsides any panic to a degree, but posting a list of the lack of activity around now is just posting a list of examples of the club not learning their lesson imo.

Ashley spending 20 million on a player :lol:

Depends on your definition of "exciting"? Premiership quality players. Not Jacob Murphys.

Does anyone genuinely believe we're going to bring in 6 or 7 exciting players?

Problems between manager and board at the first hurdle. If there's no sign of anyone coming in the next week or so I think it's time to worry. This just looks to me like a continuation of January. We were given a major warning then.

Maybe they're both talking shit

There can be terms within a release clause. A low release clause is a nuisance to a selling club in the first place so they will try and shape it to get the best deal they can, despite being powerless to prevent the actual sale.

Not gonna worry yet. If we're at this situation in a months time however then obviously this is significant.

Only applies to genuine attempts to play the ball. I thought accidental contact was also a factor? Like when Dummet got sent off v forest?

Villa. Surely Sheffield Wednesday should be favourites. Now that we're up Villa have probably the best squad in the Championship, and a manager who knows how to get teams up. In a bit of a better position to go for promotion this time round imo

That was Simon Bird, who then subsequently blocked anyone on twitter who called him up on it.

I thought he was class.. even when he was out of form he was impossible to dislike. Really gut wrenching news.